Fluid containment vault with homogeneous concrete-entombed tank

Abstract

A storage vault (2, 182) includes an inner tank (4,4',152,180) emtombed within a concrete outer tank (8) by first erecting a pair of sidewall forms (51) on a base plate (44) to create an open-top enclosure (54). The inner tank (180) can include a plastic tank (152) enclosed within an external framework (154), the combination (150) housed within a steel tank (174). A layer of concrete (56) is poured onto the base plate, the inner tank is lowered onto the layer of concrete, and concrete is poured into the enclosure to entomb the inner tank while the bottom layer of concrete is stil wet. Reinforced hold-down bars (86) extend over the top of the enclosure and have downwardly extending hold-down tubes (92) which engage the top of the inner tank and keep the inner tank positioned horizontally and vertically. The hold-down bars are fastened to the base plate to keep the inner tank properly positioned. After the concrete has set sufficiently, the hold-down bars and tubes are removed and the holes created by the hold-down tubes are filled with concrete. After curing, the wall forms and base plate are removed from the vault created within the form assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A transportable, above-ground fluid containment vault comprising: a hollow inner tank, having a tank wall defining a tank interior and having access means comprising at least one pipe extending therefrom and communicating with the interior of said inner tank;   a layer of concrete surrounding all of said tank except for said access means, to form a vault, said concrete defining a region between said concrete and said wall of said tank, said layer of concrete being homogeneous so that there are no cold joints in said layer of concrete, said vault having an exterior surface, said access means providing communication between the interior of said inner tank and the exterior of said vault;   wherein said wall of said tank provides a pressure barrier preventing fluid communication between the interior of the tank and said region and permitting pressurization of said tank with respect to said region.   
     
     
       2. A vault, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said layer of concrete includes at least one hole and further rcomprising concrete positioned in said hole. 
     
     
       3. A vault, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a layer of spacer material positioned in said region. 
     
     
       4. A vault, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said tank is configured for storage of a hydrocarbon fluid and said spacer material liquifies upon contact with said hydrocarbon fluid. 
     
     
       5. A vault, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a liquid-impervious sheet positioned in said region. 
     
     
       6. A vault, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said liquid impervious sheet is a polyethylene sheet. 
     
     
       7. A vault, as claimed in claim 5, further of comprising a layer of spacer material positioned between sheet and said tank wall. 
     
     
       8. A transportable, above ground fluid containment vault, comprising: a hollow inner tank, having an interior and having access means comprising at least one pipe extending therefrom and communicating with the interior of said inner tank;   a layer of concrete surrounding all of said tank except for said access means, to form a vault, said layer of concrete positioned adjacent to said tank in the absence of compressible material between said tank and said concrete, said layer of concrete being homogeneous so that there are no cold joints in said layer of concrete, said vault having an exterior surface, said access means providing communication between the interior of said inner tank and the exterior of said vault.   
     
     
       9. A transportable, above-ground fluid containment vault, comprising: a hollow inner tank, having a tank wall defining a tank interior and having access means composing at least one pipe extending therefrom and communicating with the interior of said inner tank;   a layer of insulation material surrounding said inner tank to form a tank assembly;   a layer of concrete surrounding all of said tank assembly except for said access means, to form a vault, said concrete spaced from said tank assembly when said tank interior is at ambient pressure to define a first region, said layer of concrete being homogeneous so that there are no cold joints in said layer of concrete, said vault having an exterior surface, said access means providing communication between the interior of said inner tank and the exterior of said vault;   means, comprising said tank wall, for preventing fluid communication between the interior of the tank and said first region wherein when said tank is pressurized, said tank assembly expands into said first region without substantial compression of said insulation material.   
     
     
       10. A vault, as claimed in claim 9, wherein said layer of concrete includes at least one hole and further comprising concrete positioned in said hole. 
     
     
       11. A vault, as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a layer of spacer material positioned in said region. 
     
     
       12. A vault, as claimed in claim 11, wherein said tank is configured for storage of a hydrocarbon fluid and said spacer material liquifies upon contact with said hydrocarbon fluid. 
     
     
       13. A vault, as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a liquid-impervious sheet positioned in said region. 
     
     
       14. A vault, as claimed in claim 13, wherein said liquid impervious sheet is a polyethylene sheet. 
     
     
       15. A vault, as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a layer of spacer material positioned between said sheet and said tank wall.